2,021 candidates file paper for MCD polls, includes 507 Independents

A total of 2,021 candidates have filed their nomination papers with the poll authorities for the upcoming civic elections in Delhi, sources said on Tuesday.

The 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) goes to polls on December 4 while the results will be declared on December 7.

Of the total nominations, Independent candidates have the maximum share with 507 candidates, followed by AAP with 492 candidates.

On Monday, the last day to file nominations, all candidates from the three major parties -- the AAP, BJP and the Congress -- and nominees from other parties and many Independents submitted their papers.

The tabulation of data from nominations filed went on till the early hours, the sources said.

The poll authorities have received 2,585 nominations from 2,021 candidates, a source said.

Of the total nominations received, 1,462 are from women and 1,123 men, according to data shared by officials.

Among the other parties, 423 candidates have filed their papers for the BJP, 334 from the Congress, 149 from the Bahujan Samaj Party, 31 from JD(U), 20 from AIMIM, and nine from the CPI(M).

This will be the first civic election after the fresh delimitation exercise. The high-stakes poll will be held in the gap between the two phases of the Gujarat Assembly elections, scheduled for December 1 and 5.

The nomination process went smoothly with elaborate arrangements in place at all ROs headquarters, officials had said on Monday.

In the civic body polls in 2017, the BJP had won 181 of the 270 wards. No polling could be held on two seats due to the death of candidates. The AAP had won 48 wards, while the Congress managed to win 27.